The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-08-04
DEMOCRATIC VETERANS.
The Shameless Way In Which They Ar
Treated by Republican Partisans.

| AEeateo Dy Republican fartssans.
1t will do the machine Republicans
no good to deceive themselves about
this organization of Democratic SOL
| diors. 1t is not to be whistied down
the wind. There will be quite enough
OF II to make the machine uncomforta-
BILE. and to make the G. A. r. wish it
had kept out of politics. There is in it
not the slightest celdness or animos-
ity 10 the G. A. R, except as it for
sakes its true path and purpose and
undertakes to boom one party and
abuse another The Democrats pro-
pose to remain in the order, but they
propose to also organize outside of it.
A valued exchange is therefore not
quite correct in saying:
large number of the G. A. r. Post OF Des
Moines have seeded because of the offensive
ness OF the Tuttle element It is hard for Dem
ocrats to remain in such posts as that of Des
MONIES and maintain their self-respect.
But why should not Democratic SOL
diers organize. The Republican party
has never yet failed to make merchan-
disc OF the patriotism, the blood, the
lives of the Democratic soldiers. 1t
has been so not only ever since the
war, but ever since the Democratic
soldier enlisted. He knew it would be
so when he enlisted. He left his home.
his family, his loved one, to 90 out and
offer up his life in cause whose credit
he knew would be claimed by the mer-
cenary men who abused him for his
politics. The patriotism of the SOL
dier who was on the popular side in
politics does not compare with this.
And even to this day the patriotism
of the Democratic soldie. is impugned.
He has been denied any participation
in the official honorS and emoluments
of the country. He toresaw all this,
and patiently he has endured it. But
the time for endurance is past. For
bearance has ceased to be 4 virtue
Considering the circumstances under
which he enlisted, and the patience
with which, for his country's sake, he
has borne insult and injury from the
time the unseasoned flesh Of his tender
youth yielded to the bullet until his
hair is gray and his joints stiffened
with age, there is not on the page of
history a more shining example of
patriotism than this same Democratic
soldier
Why shouldn't he organize? He
asks no undue pension. He is not
seeking office. He seeks only the
peace and happiness of the whole
country. He did not offer his life that
Presidents might be insulted, the
country rent with civil strife, and the
hearts of his children filled with undy-
ing hatred against a portion of their
He fought for peace
and union. He thinks that four years
of fighting and twenty-five years more
of waiting are enough; or ought to be
enough, to gain those blessed ends
Is he not right?
1t is the Democratic soldier, of all
human beings, who may be proud to
stand up and be counted. He is not
scarce. AS one of our exchanges has
recently observed. Missouri sent 1880
more men into the Union army than
Iowa did. Missouri cast only 17,02S
votes for Lincoln, but sent $3.50 men
into the Union army, while Iowa cast |
40, 400 votes for Lincoln and only fur
nished 6S, $50 men to the Union army.
that two-thirds of the Iowa
soldiers were Republicans, and that
two-thirds of those who voted for Lin
coin in Missouri enlisted in the Union |
army, we have total of about 81, coo |
soldiers from these States,
while the same States furnished $4,000 |
Democratic soldiers to the Union
army! These figures are rather inter-
,sting. A good many more such could |
be furnIshcd.-DeS MoineS (Lo.) Leader. |